In a plasma display panel (PDP), plasma discharge is generated in closed discharge spaces of a large number of small cells arranged in length and width directions of the panel, and phosphor materials are excited by ultraviolet light of 147 nm emitted from the discharged plasma, to thereby emit light. The cell spaces are formed between two planar glass plates disposed one on the other. On the other hand, in a plasma tube array (PTA), a phosphor layer is formed within a thin elongated glass tube or a supporting member having a phosphor layer formed thereon is inserted into the thin elongated glass tube, so that a large number of cell spaces are formed in the elongated glass tube. A large-sized display screen of 6 m×3 m, for example, can be provided by arranging a number of such plasma tubes side by side. In an ordinary plasma tube array, X-electrode sustain voltage pulses are applied to X-electrodes by an X-electrode driver device, and Y-electrode sustain voltage pulses are applied by a Y-electrode sustain voltage pulse circuit in a Y-electrode driver circuit through a scan driver circuit in the Y-electrode driver circuit.
Japanese Patent Application Publication No. 2000-47636-A describes an AC plasma display device with improved unevenness of its brightness. In the AC plasma display device, pairs of a sustain electrode and a scan electrode are divided into a first block and a second block. The first block of sustain electrodes and scan electrodes are driven by a first sustain electrode driver and a first scan electrode driver, respectively. The second block of sustain electrodes and scan electrodes are driven by a second sustain electrode driver and a second scan electrode driver, respectively. An output line of the first sustain electrode driver and an output line of the second sustain electrode driver are connected by a short-circuit line. An output line of a scan/sustain pulse generator section which forms the first scan electrode driver, and an output line of a scanning/maintaining pulse generator section which forms the second scan electrode driver are connected by a short-circuit line. Japanese Patent Application Publication No. 2004-178854-A describes a light-emitting tube array display device. The light-emitting tube array display device includes an array of light-emitting tubes forming a display screen, supports which support the array of light-emitting tubes on the display surface side and the back surface side and have a plurality of stripe electrodes for applying voltage to the light-emitting tubes formed on the sides facing the light-emitting tube array, a terminal electrode lead-out part provided on the support outside the display area of the display screen, a relay electrode lead-out part provided on the support inside the display area of the display screen, a first driver for applying voltage to the terminal electrode lead-out part, and a second driver for applying voltage to the relay electrode lead-out part. According to this arrangement, a display device with a large size screen has an electrode structure for preventing voltage drop to thereby improve unevenness of brightness of the display device.
In one PDP, the luminosity is typically controlled in the aggregate by luminosity control in accordance with the entire load rate. When the display load ratio is higher, i.e. when the luminosity of the entire screen is higher, the luminosity of the display screen as a whole is controlled to be relatively lower. On the other hand, when the display load ratio is lower, i.e. when the luminosity of the display screen as a whole is lower, the luminosity of the screen as a whole is made to be relatively higher. Thus, when one picture is displayed with a plurality of display units, there may be variations in luminosity among the units. It is known to control a plurality of driver circuits for a PDP composed of a plurality of display units, by means of software implemented on a control circuit, to reduce variations in luminosity among the display units.